and now for my final TRICK: 02/01/2010

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Hi Daddy

Finally, we are getting somewhere with this kid! This morning Everett and I were sitting on our couch watching Ian clean out a refrigerator. I said, "Hi, Daddy" and waved like twenty times. So my super sweet boy says, in the softest most innocent little voice, "Hi Daddy" and waves at Ian. Ian looked up with the most proud and sentimental look on his face. It was priceless.

Last week Ev decided he was ready to start talking. In one day he said, hi, bye, light, and up. He had only said mama and dada before that, so it was pretty exciting. I guess he wants to practice with those for a while because we haven't heard anything new yet.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Happy Valley Ranch

Now, doesn't that just sound like a place you want to go? Well, Holden sure does. Happy Valley Ranch is the name of her new preschool! I know, how can we be here already? But, she will be 3 1/2 in the fall and she is having a blast and thriving at Magical Mornings, so Ian and I decided a two days a week preschool next fall would be the right choice for her. Of course the decision has to be made now, sign up started today and many of the schools are already filled-crazy! I was pretty sure this was the place, but Holden's current teacher told me I better get my but out there today to check the place out because enrollment may be full by tomorrow!

So, we went out there today to check it out and Holden did not want to come home with me. This place is ridiculously awesome! The owner started with a tour of the "peanut" classroom, where Holden will be, and Little Miss sat right down at a table with the other students and joined in with snack time. She's not a shy one, that's for sure. They have monthly themes and the books and centers all focus on the theme. Students are allowed to choose their centers and activities each day (student choice was big with me at this stage). They have circle time, reading time, snack time, and recess time every day.

Recess time....the best part. There is a great playground and open field for the usual recess antics. However, this place has something most preschools do not....ponies! The stable anad barn are open to the recess area for the kids. No joke. There are 5 ponies and if kids want they can have a pony ride every day at recess. There is also a petting farm in the barn. Two ducks (Dora and Diego), pigs, rabbits, goats, chickens,sheep, and a peacock.

This is small, relaxed, child centered, and not super focused on academics for the three year olds. It feels welcoming and has a loving atmosphere. I think she will thrive here and I am so excited for her!

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Will You Be My Valentine?

Holden had her first Valentine's party today! I convinced Ian to work from home so he could take off for an hour to surprise Holden, and she was mighty proud to have Daddy at school with her!

Holden and I made lollipop Valentines for all of her friends.

Timothy is her favorite friend who she talks about ALL the time!

There were tons of treats and Ev helped himself! Surprise!

Payton loves Holden....and Everett

Ev was super happy to get to stay and play with all the kids for a while. He is so sad when we drop off H and he is stuck with me!

The party was so cute and it is amzing to watch Holden becoming so grown up.

Tuesday at 5:45 pm

Just wanted to share a typical Tuesday afternoon waiting for Ian to get home from work.

Recent Reads

Honolulu by Alan Brennert- 4 Stars
A lovely tale told by a Korean woman who came to America as a "picture bride." We learn of her challenging and oppressive childhood in Korea, her journey away from all she knew, learning the new culture in Hawaii, escaping an abusive husband, becoming an entrepreneur, finding love, becoming a mother, and living a fulfilling life. I previously read Molokai by the same author and loved it, which is why I snatched this one up as soon as I heard of it. I think I enjoyed this one even more! The writing is smooth and easy, the tales are gripping, and the experiences are harrowing which keep you wanting more of this woman's incredible story.

The Book of Awesome by Neil Pasricha- 2 1/2 stars
This book is a collection of vignettes celebrating the awesome things in life. The cold side of your pillow on a hot night, finding money in your coat pocket, popping bubble wrap, when cashiers open up a new line at the grocery store, and watching Price is Right when you were home sick from school. This guy also has a blog where people can submit more awesomness. It was fun to read, but not as great as I was hoping. I will probably read his blog though, because he is pretty witty and definitely made me chuckle and remember to appreciate the small things in life.

Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson- 3 stars
PAGE TURNER! I read this in 1 1/2 days. The story begins with a woman waking up in a bed, next to a man, in a house and she recognizes none of it. Over the next few minutes she learns that she has amnesia and every night when she goes to be she forgets most of her life. She begins working with a psychiatrist who convinces her to write in a journal, so she can reread it each morning and hopefully begin to build memories. The mysteries of how she ended up in this condition and her relationships with friends and loved ones kept me on the edge of my seat.

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet - 4 1/2 Stars
Another winner here folks. This book was AWESOME (and a bit shorter than Cutting for Stone). This was a new perspective on World War II for me. The story follows a boy growing up in a Chinese household in Seattle during the war. He befriends a Japanese girl, which is STRICTLY forbidden by his domineering and emotionless father. He realizes he is in love with her just as her family is removed to a Japanese Internment camp for the remainder of the war. The stay in touch through letters and his enormous risks to visit her . I don't want to give away any more, but you simply HAVE to read this book. The relationships between the children and their families and even the public during these war years was an interesting perspective for me. The twists and turns kept me up till midnight and the ending was wonderful!

Cutting For Stone by Abraham Verghese- 5 Stars
Oh my! I LOVED LOVED LOVED it. It was long and delicious and I did not want it to end. The premise is a nun working at a clinic in Ethiopia dies while giving birth to twin boys. The story explores the people and relationships in these boys' lives through the eyes of Marion, one of the twins. He grows up in the clinic in Ethiopia with amazing adoptive parents who were friends with his parents and gives us a taste of the culture, food, and everyday life of an Ethiopian. He heads to America to pursue a medical career and his birth father. We read this for book club and had wonderful and rich discussions...I wish there was a part 2!

The Distant Hours by Kate Morton- 3 stars
This was pretty darn good. It took me about 100 pages to really get into it and the ending was a bit too quick, neat, and tidy. But not nearly as terrible as the ending of Handle with Care by Jodi Piccoult (I threw that book across the room and into a wall as I read the last word). I was hooked and couldn't stop myself once I was into it. It was a book club choice and there was more discussion than I remember in 3 years of book club. We were talking over each other and jumping into other conversations. I couldn't even keep up. This story centered around the lives of three sisters who grew up in a castle in England from World War II to the present. They had an eccentric family and extremely odd and famous author father. The mysteries weave through history and the walls of the castle, revealing themselves to the woman chosen to write a piece about the famed play written by the father. It was very good and I would highly recommend it.